I. Movie Extra
Have you ever dreamed about being discovered? Have you always wanted to live the life of a movie star? Well are you ready to move to New York or Los Angeles, get an agent and make that dream come true? Okay before you stop reading and forget what the title and goal of this book is, let me explain. While it is possible with hard work, acting lessons, and more luck then I’ve ever had to become a movie star, that’s not what I am talking about. I’m talking about getting work as a movie extra.
Most of the work for movie extras is in major cities like New York and Los Angeles, but there are many small production houses and films being produced in other major cities like Chicago and Philadelphia. Movies and television shows very often use people like props to create a background which seems like a real environment. The people who are needed to participate in such roles are known as background actors, background performers or most commonly movie extras. Movie extras are used in an attempt to make scenes in films and TV shows appear fuller, richer and natural.
So what does a movie extra do in a movie or on television? The movie extras provide the rich tapestry of background performers in almost every scene. Regardless of the scene, location or time period, movie extras are used play the role of background fillers. You will see them as crowds at sporting events, students in the school hallway, patients in hospitals and diners at restaurants. Movie extras are the soldiers on the battle field and even the criminals in jail cells. What makes movie extras different from actors, is by definition, movie extras never speak. When a movie extra is given dialogue, even if it's just one word, then the extra becomes an 'Actor'.
Jobs are available for movie extras in films or television shows whether they are a part of an acting union or not. Extras get paid in the range of $7 per hour for an audience job or $50+ for a 12 hour job for a non-union film to whatever the employer may decide to pay. All union jobs have to abide by the SAG agreement. SAG (Screen Actors Guide) has launched a new section called Background Performers. Therefore, if you want to be part of the union, then SAG offers some helpful information to becoming a movie extra.
SAG has sanctioned the New Entrance Requirements for Background Performers. Additionally, the National Background Actors committee has also approved replacing the three-voucher eligibility rule with a brand new points-earned system. According to this, there shall be two options to becoming a member of the Guild via movie extra work. The two options are: 1) Union (Covered) or 2) Non-union (Non-covered) work on SAG Signatory projects. The movie extras may also be eligible for earning membership points by being a part of other designated activities aimed towards raising the professional standards and supporting the basic aims of SAG.
How do you get work and what should you expect once you have work as a movie extra? The best way to find work is to visit any of the online sites which offer casting in movies. Other option is to approach the casting agents in your city for work. Be leery of the latter or you’ll find yourself spending money on headshot photos that you could do yourself for free. It’s really pretty easy to get selected for work as an extra. I have several friends who have appeared as extras in several productions filmed in Philadelphia such as: Rocky Balboa, Glory, Invincible, Transformers 2 and none of them are actors.
So if you think you'd enjoy being in close proximity to your favorite actors and want to see yourself up on the big screen at the theaters or on a episode of your favorite television show, give the motion picture industry your best shot!
There are casting websites in every big city and too many to list, but here is one for Philadelphia that had casting calls and hired extras in the aforementioned films.
http://heerycasting.com/index.php
One of the most well known casting agencies in New York City is Central Casting. http://www.centralcasting.org
Download a registration packet from the website and deliver it Tuesdays or Thursdays at 4pm to (875 Sixth Ave at 31st St; 646-205-8244). Currently, the most in-demand parts are prep-schoolers for Gossip Girl and faux cops and corpses for Law & Order and its spin-offs. “Every day is a deadline,” explains Brad Kenny, manager of Central Casting. “At 4pm today, a show could call and say, ‘We need ten doctors and four nurses for tomorrow—they have to fit these sizes and be this
